As a food processor or equipment integrator, you are faced with the task to match a heat exchanger to the product or process.
With so many types of products and many styles of heat exchangers how do you match them up?
What are the constraints that drive the design?
- Price?
- Lead time?
- Thermal efficiency?
- Standard or custom?
- Floor space available?
- Government regulations?
- Future expandability?
- Food grade design
- Industrial design?
- ASME Code stamped?
If you already know exactly which type of heat exchanger is desired for the process, then it’s matter of design, quote and purchase.
If you are not sure what works best, or are searching for options, then use the following guidelines to determine where to go with the design.
Step 1: Determine the basic type of fluid you need to heat or cool.
A. Water like fluidity, no particulates, milk, beverages, etc..
B. Water like fluidity, with particulates, pulpy juices, purees, slurries, etc…
C. Thicker fluids, no particulates, syrups, concentrates, creams, etc..
D. Thicker fluids, with particulates, sauces, soups, salsas, etc…
E. Utilities fluids, Service Hot Water and CIP Water heating with steam.
STEP 2 - Review the types of heat exchangers available.
A) Plate Heat Exchanger or PHE
Plate heat exchangers are comprised of a series of corrugated thin metal plates sealed by gaskets that are pressed together in a frame to complete the working unit that are highly energy efficient. Plate heat exchangers are provided in Sanitary 3A, Industrial ASME and Enhanced Drainable design for Pharma.
B) Tubular Heat Exchangers
- Double Tube “DuoFloat” heat exchangers (tube inside of tube) consist of a center tube for product and an outer tube for service media.
- Triple Tube heat exchangers “TriFloat” (tube inside of tube inside of tube) consist of an intermediate tube for product, a center tube and a jacket tube for service.
- Multi-Tube heat exchangers “MultiFloat” consist of a group of small tubes for product inside a single larger tube for service media.
C) Shell and Tube heat exchangers.
Shell and Tube heat exchangers (tubing bundle inside schedule pipe shell) consist of high pressure ASME shell design with removable tubing bundle made up of smaller tubes.
STEP 3 – Match up fluid product type with heat exchanger type.
The chart below is a quick basic reference for typical fluids to exchanger types.
In addition to matching up the type of fluid product with a heat exchanger type there are additional parameters required to design and quote heat exchangers accurately.
- Product fluid(s) name(s) and physical properties (specific gravity, thermal conductivity, viscosity, brix and solids %) if available.
- Service Media name and physical properties if other than water.
- Product(s) flow rate(s)
- Desired temperatures for product and service inlet and outlet.
- Maximum allowable pressure drops across the heat exchanger.
- Desired future expansion plans if known.
With all the above information, the most accurate and efficient design for each application will be the outcome.
For more information please visit our web site www.thermaline.com.
